Expecting
by Bella Shia
Summary: Toushiro wishes he was more surprised. - One shot. PreBetrayal. GinRan very obviously implied. Please don't read too much into this; I don't even think this is plausible, it's just for funsies. -


Toushiro Hitsugaya shifted another page on top of what seemed like an endless pile of paperwork, instantly submerging himself in filling out the next sheet.

"I don't feel like working anymore." Rangiku spoke up, breaking the silence. She didn't bother to stifle her yawn as she stretched luxuriously. "I'm calling it quits for the day."

"Matsumoto."

Rangiku winced, hoping she wouldn't be called back to finish the large amount of unfinished paperwork piled carelessly on her desk.

"Are you going out tonight?" Toushiro asked. He succeeded in sounding fairly casual, but there was a small amount of skepticism evident in his tone.

Rangiku turned in the doorway, blinking at her Captain.

It was Friday night. As such, it was traditional for Rangiku to dedicate at least a solid fifteen minutes to bugging Toushiro to tag along with her. He never accepted, because he knew what the invitation meant; in a nutshell, getting drunk.

Toushiro hardly wanted Rangiku to start badgering him like usual, but the fact that she wasn't seemed bizarre.

"No, I don't think so… Not tonight…" Rangiku replied elusively, lips tugging at the corners. She couldn't help feeling amused at the look of alarm and suspicion in her Captain's green eyes.

"Have you suffered some sort of head injury, Matsumoto? Should I call the Relief squad? Did Ichimaru do something?"

Rangiku tilted her head mischievously. "Nope, nope, and you could say that."

Toushiro's eyebrows rose slowly, staring at Rangiku.

At her Captain's expression, Rangiku knew he knew.

Rangiku held back a laugh as he leveled a glare at her, continuing lazily, "I don't need Fourth Division, Captain. I just felt the need to cut myself off from the booze for a while."

"For how long?" Toushiro asked, voice low and ever so close to furious.

Yes, without a doubt, he knew, and Rangiku was fully aware of this.

But that didn't mean she was about to make it any easier on him.

Rangiku grinned, leaning casually against the frame of the door, pale blue eyes following the trail of her finger as she traced hearts in the air. "Oh, I dunno… About a year I guess? But not a full year." She shuddered at the thought.

Toushiro's eye visibly twitched, narrowing at his Assistant Captain's teasing smile. "Eleven months?"

Rangiku scrunched her nose. "I can't last that long."

"Ten months?"

"Somewhere around there."

"_Nine months?_" Toushiro persisted, stressing the words.

"Hey, that sounds good!" Rangiku answered brightly.

Toushiro held her gaze, pale lips pressed together. His mouth worked tersely a few times before he finally spoke, "Are you going to be all right, Matsumoto? Raising a child -"

Rangiku pressed a finger to her bottom lip. "Well, we've already made the baby, that's most of the work right there!"

Toushiro's face was dangerously blank. "I can't believe you. _Parenthood_ and _parenting_ are two completely different things! How irresponsible are you?!"

"Lighten up, Captain," Rangiku said airily, brushing some strands of her long hair over her shoulder. "I'm pregnant, so sue me… Just because you don't have the nerve to try anything with Hinamori - "

"MATSUMOTO!" Toushiro yelled, slamming his hands on the desk.

With exaggerated motion, Rangiku covered her stomach with both arms. "Don't be so violent, Captain! I've got a baby on the way, remember?" The look on Toushiro's face was murderous, and Rangiku recognized it as her cue to leave. "You know, you're right, I should be more responsible! I'm going to start right now~!"

Laughing to herself, Rangiku closed the door safely behind her with a snap and jolted a little as she turned and caught a sudden glimpse of sliver. "Honestly! Don't sneak up on a person like that; you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Gin merely inclined his head towards the office. "So, how'd it go?"

Rangiku beamed. "He took it like a champ."


End file.
